Decline and Fall
by Fedora The Explora
Summary: Collection of brotherly-fluff one-shots based off of Evanescence songs because the author is an obsessive fan of both brotherly fluff fics and Evanescence. Therefore this mess was unavoidable.
1. Field of Innocence

1. Field of Innocence

Mokuba woke up to a shouting alarm clock. Normally, he awakened cheerful and well-rested, but that doesn't happen when one is up until no more than one hour prior to said alarm clock's indignant pestering, especially when one was coughing, sneezing, and sweating all night long. Years ago, he would have gone to his big brother for comfort, but that didn't really seem to be an option anymore. Seto was detached and didn't take kindly to be interrupted by anybody; lately, this had come to include even Mokuba. Maybe it was the increased stress of opening Kaiba Land on top of having to save Kaiba Corp's drowned reputation (thanks to Dartz), but frankly, Mokuba didn't care what it was. He just knew his big brother wasn't much of a brother anymore.

The child reached over to hit the alarm clock only to miss it and scratch his arm on the pointed end of his night table. He moaned at the additional agony, then snatched it up angrily, with the electrical cord popping right out of its socket. He threw it across the room and slipped slowly out of bed, shivering. As he stumbled down the hallway, it only seemed to get colder, and he was almost in tears by the time he'd reached the empty kitchen.

Empty? Seto was always at the table already, drinking his coffee and staring out the window.

"Ah, Mokuba, good morning," Roland greeted him warmly. Mokuba turned around to reveal his anguished face, and the man's sunny expression darkened immediately. "Are you all right, sir?"

Mokuba looked up at his brother's right hand man with the most unintentionally pitiful eyes Roland had ever seen. "I'm not feeling too great," he admitted, attempting to stifle a cough while sniffling. "Where's my brother?"

"Mr. Kaiba went to work early. Would you like me to call him for you?"

Mokuba hesitated for a moment. In his heart, he knew he was not well enough to go to school, and that meant Seto would need to call in to excuse him. But if the elder Kaiba felt the need to go in early, then that indicated something at Kaiba Corp was urgent; he stayed late consistently, but almost never went in early unless there was a pressing reason. Ultimately, he shook his head, deciding to just take the day off and deal with truancy later.

"No, but thank you, Roland." The man nodded at Mokuba, then headed off to Kaiba Corp to assist his boss. Mokuba yawned and headed to the medicine cabinet, where he found some cough drops and throat spray. That would at least numb the pain. He took both back to his room and crawled back into bed, then sprayed his throat and popped a cough drop. That's when he realized he was truly freezing, so he dragged himself down to his brother's room and swiped the giant, plush, warm comforter that smelled like Seto; even if his brother wouldn't be able to stay with him, he needed some sort of brotherly comfort. It took all of the ill child's effort, but he made it back to his own room, wrapped himself in the giant blanket, crawled into bed, and fell asleep very quickly.

* * *

Seto Kaiba sat at his desk in his office, typing away. However, his mind was on what had happened during his duel with Dartz...when Pegasus had captured his soul, he didn't remember anything except feeling very achy upon reuniting with his body. But when Dartz committed the same vulgar act, he remembered everything. How so many other souls were floating around him, but how very alone he was. How the darkness was so intense that he had truly lost hope in everything, and couldn't wait for that godforsaken beast to devour his soul so he could just die already and escape the mental pain that he had been trapped in.

It was a truly haunting memory that he couldn't escape. Then again, he had a lot of those. The death of his mother and father, and the cruelty and greed of his extended family after they'd inhaled the inheritance that had belonged to him and Mokuba. And then there were the memories of Gozaburo; they were arguably the most painful ones, since he was the one who'd stolen his childhood and turned him into the ruthless block of ice he seemed to be.

Two short knocks sounded on his door before it opened. Kaiba snapped back to reality as Roland entered his office.

"Mr. Kaiba, I'm very sorry to bother you, but I just thought you should know that your brother is feeling under the weather," the man rushed everything together before Kaiba could reprimand him for entering his sacred office without permission.

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "Then why didn't he call me?"

"I don't know, sir. I asked him if he wanted me to call you, but he declined."

"Did he go to school or did he stay home?" Kaiba asked, standing up and gathering several documents off his desk. He walked over to his briefcase and slipped them inside before snapping it shut.

"I'm not sure. Though the way he looked, I certainly hope he would have gone back to bed."

The elder Kaiba nodded in courtesy as he walked towards the door. "I'll be working from home the rest of the day. Inform anyone who tries to contact me that if it's not an emergency, they'll be looking for a new job."

"Will do, sir," Roland called as he watched his boss walk briskly to the elevator.

* * *

Once back at the mansion, Kaiba went straight up to his brother's bedroom. He was relieved to find the kid all bundled up in bed, sound asleep, though he had yet to figure out why his personal comforter was with Mokuba. He walked over to sit beside the child, and rolled his eyes when he found a half-eaten cough drop stuck to the blankets. He gingerly picked it up and threw it in the wastebasket next to Mokuba's bed.

"Mokuba...wake up." Mokuba moaned in annoyance and snuggled deeper under the mounds of blankets. Kaiba's lips flickered in a smile before he reached out to pull the covers aside. "Mokuba."

The little Kaiba shivered once again and rolled over, but his eyes widened as they focused on Seto Kaiba.

"Why are you here? You have so much work to do!" Mokuba cried, but his excitement caused him to begin coughing loudly. Kaiba pulled him into a sitting position and began to thump him on the back.

"When did you start to feel sick?" Kaiba asked, ignoring the younger Kaiba's questions. As soon as Mokuba's lungs gave him a break, the little Kaiba turned his miserable blue-gray eyes up into his big brother's determined blue ones.

"Last night..."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kaiba asked, still pounding on his little brother's back. Mokuba pulled away and retreated beneath the covers.

"It was late...I didn't know if you were working or sleeping, and I didn't want to bother you either way."

"Mokuba, you're the one person I don't mind getting bothered by," Kaiba replied sharply, staring down at the lump on the bed.

"Not lately," was the muffled response. Mokuba peeked out from the blankets. "Lately you don't even want me around."

Kaiba's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "You're the only one I want around...why would you think I wouldn't?"

Tears were stinging Mokuba's eyes at this point; he pulled himself into a sitting position and moved slightly away from Seto before answering. His brother had an infamously nasty temper, and although he hadn't been a target for years, it was better to be safe than sorry...

"You and I both know how much you've changed, Seto...and I've tried so hard to understand why, and for the most part, I think I do. At least, I understand about Gozaburo. You need to feel invincible, and you'd rather drive people away than give them a chance to hurt you. But ever since we got back after that whole deal with Dartz, you've been pushing even me away, too. You yell at me like you don't know me, and look at me like you want me to leave. Maybe something happened when Dartz pulled that crap, but I don't understand why you see me differently now. I've always been right beside you, Seto. And I always will be, until you don't want me to be."

Kaiba didn't know what to say for a very long time. All he could do was stare at the child as he listened to his painful musing. Finally, he just stood up and walked out to the hallway, proceeding to the kitchen.

"Seto, are you kidding me?" Mokuba snapped, and jumped out of bed to chase his brother. His lungs, on the other hand, had a different idea, and his quest of running after the young man who'd abandoned their conversation was immediately stopped as he crumpled to the ground in a fit of coughing and tears. Kaiba returned moments later with a glass of water and a bottle of cold medicine. He managed to scoop Mokuba up as well, and swiftly put him back in bed.

"I needed to think about that," he answered in his normal, stoic voice. Mokuba just glared back disdainfully, but accepted the glass of water as it was handed to him.

"...And?" Mokuba prompted rudely, then took a sip of the water.

"And you're right. Gozaburo changed me. He stole my childhood, he stole the light, and he stole my innocence. He turned me into a monster, which Yugi supposedly destroyed, but there's still a different kind of evil inside of me, Mokuba." Kaiba drew in a breath, unhappy about being so revealing, but he really had no choice. "The kind where I can't allow anyone close enough to me to care. You're stronger than I am, Mokuba, even after all we've been through, you are still able to love and show compassion openly. I never want you to lose that." He reached out and gently pushed Mokuba's messy hair back before opening the bottle of cold medicine and dispensing a dose into the little included cup. He handed it over, and Mokuba downed it. The child made a face in response to the medicine before speaking.

"I thought you believed I was weak for that."

Kaiba shook his head. "It takes more courage to be vulnerable than it does to be a brick wall. Yes, there are some days I wish I could go back to being ignorant about the world and all the horrible things that happen. But I can't, and I want you to know that I'm truly sorry for that, and for hurting you."

Mokuba blinked, suddenly feeling lightheaded and sleepy. "S-seto? What was that...?" His words were already slurring.

"Just cold medicine. You'll be asleep soon," Kaiba said soothingly. "I'll leave you alone now." He stood to leave, only to be stopped by a small hand grabbing his.

"No," Mokuba begged, "stay with me. I need you."

The elder brother laid down on his back beside the little Kaiba with no hesitations. Mokuba snuggled close and placed his head on Kaiba's chest, yawning widely, then grasped his brother's hand once again.

"I forgive you, Seto. 'Cause I love you, because..."

Kaiba waited for more, but all that came was a not-so-soft congested snore. He allowed himself to smile, and hugged Mokuba closer as he relaxed. It was understandable that Mokuba was having difficulty accepting who he'd become, because it was a far cry different than from who he really was. Maybe it wouldn't kill him to be a little open with someone. Maybe he could just show a little kindness to someone who deserved it. Maybe when Mokuba got better, he'd take him to Yugi's grandfather's game shop and not completely insult that damn Joey Wheeler. _Maybe_.

* * *

_Where has my heart gone?_

_An uneven trade for the real world_

_Oh I, I want to go back to believing in everything_

_And knowing nothing at all._

-Field of Innocence, Evanescence


	2. Where Will You Go

2. Where Will You Go

It had been three months. Three long, winding, lonely months since Mokuba Kaiba had gotten sick and died, leaving Seto Kaiba absolutely numb and alone. His life had gone from having virtually everything to being less than nothing. Mokuba was the light of his life, the reason he fought to get everything they had. But now that he was gone, Kaiba had nothing. He was nothing.

But no matter how alone and lost he felt, he half-expected Mokuba to walk through the door again. There was no way this was reality. He swore to protect the little Kaiba from any and all harm. Which he had: multiple kidnappings, bullies, and he'd even accepted beatings from their adoptive father on Mokuba's behalf. There was no possible way the child could have died from something as simple as a virus...logically, viral meningitis wasn't so innocuous; however, Kaiba's brain had been less than rational lately.

As a result of this, he'd allowed Yugi to hang around him as much as the other boy pleased, which meant he'd all but moved into the mansion at this point. Kaiba didn't work much these days; instead, he stared blankly at his computer screen, occasionally checking his email or starting a mindless game of solitaire. Yugi would bring him food, hot beverages, pillows, and blankets, then gently coax him to indulge, just as Mokuba had.

Kaiba had never really made the connection of just how similar his little brother was to his sworn rival. At least, not until Yugi had spent his first night in the Kaiba mansion bringing all those little luxuries and encouraging him to at least try to sleep. In the end, he'd ended up falling asleep himself on the brown leather sofa in Kaiba's study. The CEO had watched him rest for quite awhile, realizing that his rival had unwittingly lived out the same evening Mokuba had for so long. It all seemed so familiar that Kaiba had picked up the blanket Yugi brought him and draped it over the smaller duelist.

But now he was here, all alone, in the town cemetery. Snow was falling peacefully over the silent graveyard, but Kaiba was full of despair as he laid the wreath across Mokuba's beautiful white headstone. He swallowed, then spoke, hoping with all his heart that the child could hear him somehow, somewhere.

"Little brother...I've been doing my best without you by my side. Except...my best isn't all that great. I have no motivation to run Kaiba Corp. I don't even care anymore." He paused to wipe the tears that welled up in his eyes. That didn't help, though, because more tears took their place and overflowed. Kaiba gave up, and continued to speak in a quietly wavering voice. "I wish I could have not cared like this before...I would do anything to have that extra time with you. I keep thinking that if I only spared even an extra twenty minutes, then things would be different. But I think it would make you happy to know that I've accepted Yugi as a friend..." He trailed off, realizing how insane it felt to say that, no matter how true it was. Yugi truly was the one keeping him alive now.

Kaiba slowly rose to his feet, and stepped away from the grave, whispering, "I loved you when you born, I loved you when you grew up. I still love you and I always will, all the way to the end of my days, and whatever comes after that. You're my little brother. Say hi to Mom and Dad for me." He spun around remarkably quickly, and walked briskly to his car and sped home.

When he walked in the front door, his initial thought was that he was alone again, and the idea displeased him. However, a sharp grunt eliminated that worry, and he walked to the next room. Yugi was in the kitchen struggling with a gigantic gallon-container of ice cream and a jar of hot fudge. Kaiba raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to make of the sight.

"Yugi, it's snowing outside. What's with the ice cream?"

Yugi jumped a mile, not realizing that the mansion's owner had returned. "I'm always up for ice cream. Except this one isn't going to open right now, I guess it's still too frozen." He picked up the large container and shoved it back into the freezer. "But there's nothing quite like regular hot fudge."

"...You're just going to eat hot fudge?"

Yugi shrugged. "Joey's done worse."

Kaiba didn't doubt that, but he didn't respond. Instead, he sat down on the chair and began to stair out of the window. Yugi put the small bowl in the microwave, then watched Kaiba bask in his melancholy, and sighed quietly.

"What did you do today?" he asked the taller boy gently.

"I visited Mokuba's grave again."

The microwave beeped and Yugi retrieved the little bowl of chocolatey goodness. He pulled out an extra spoon, just in case, and sat down opposite Kaiba at the table, pushing the spoon at him. "How did that go?"

"About as well as visiting your dead little brother can go." Kaiba ignored the spoon and crossed his arms, an act of withdrawing into himself. Yugi stared at him with a moment's compassion, then twirled his own spoon in the thick sauce. He licked the fudge from his spoon, then sat back as he realized it was way too sugary to be eaten alone. Yugi couldn't understand how he could eat it like that as much as he did as a child; now it just seemed utterly ridiculous.

"Kaiba?"

Blue eyes momentarily fixed on violet ones. Kaiba grunted in response before looking back out into the rapidly accumulating snowfall. Yugi pushed the bowl aside before standing up and crossing his own arms.

"Let's play a game."

Kaiba looked back at him again, amused. "Like a duel?"

"No. I don't want to beat a guy when he's down," Yugi joked. Kaiba rolled his eyes, but allowed him to continue. "I was thinking just a regular board or card game..."

Kaiba hesitated. "I'm really tired. But I wouldn't mind just watching a movie."

Yugi agreed to this; the whole point was just to keep Kaiba out of his study and away from staring at nothing on his computer. He brought the abandoned bowl of cooled hot fudge to the sink and filled it with water before following Kaiba to the lounge. The two friends scanned movie listings before Yugi just let Kaiba pick. They watched it for awhile before Kaiba suddenly hit the mute button.

"Are you okay?" Yugi asked.

"Not excessively," Kaiba admitted, albeit shortly. "I just wanted to let you know I appreciate you sticking around. I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with, especially in the past few months."

"You deserve an out, Kaiba. More than anybody." Yugi gave him a small smile.

Kaiba grunted; he was never good at this whole 'gratitude' thing. But Yugi deserved that much. He stood up and looked at the shorter boy. "I'm going to bed. Are you going to stay down here?"

"Yeah, I like this movie," Yugi responded as Kaiba handed him the remote, and proceeded to head down the hall as opposed to up the stairs. He was actually going to bed.

Yugi turned his attention back to the movie, but quickly disappeared into a conversation with the pharaoh.

**Well, Yugi, it seems you've finally convinced Kaiba that you are his friend, and not just out to get him.**

_I know...I just wish Mokuba didn't have to die for that to happen, though._

**At least you can save him from himself. He's lost right now.**

That was the understatement of the year. But the pharaoh had a point; Kaiba needed someone to keep him on track, just like Mokuba did for him. And so Yugi tried to help him see life was worth living even without Mokuba physically beside him. Sure, there were times where he felt like Kaiba was actually attempting to use him as a replacement for Mokuba, and while he knew that wasn't exactly healthy, it helped him meet the real Seto Kaiba. And he wasn't a bad guy at all.

The movie wound to a close, and Yugi shut off the television and stretched his small body before heading down the hall. Surprisingly, Kaiba slept with his door wide open, so Yugi decided to check on him before retiring to the guest room for the night. The lamp on the table next to his bed was still on, casting a soft, dim glow on the rest of the room. Kaiba was sleeping on his back, his right arm wrapped around his head and his left draped across his stomach. His breathing was heavy and even, and it rumbled contentedly in his chest. Yugi was pleased to see him so relaxed. It made him feel like he was actually helping Kaiba heal in what can only be described as the worst of times.

There was still so much more healing to do, but at least Kaiba wasn't totally alone. And with a friend like Yugi, he never would be.

* * *

_You think that I can't see right through your eyes_

_Scared to death to face reality_

_No one seems to hear your hidden cries_

_You're left to face yourself alone_

_But where will you go?_

_With no one left to save you from yourself?_

-Where Will You Go, Evanescence


	3. End of the Dream

3. End of the Dream

Mokuba Kaiba sighed heavily as he flopped onto his back in the somewhat narrow bed he and his brother Seto Kaiba were sharing on the blimp. He originally had his own room, but despite claiming to not believe in magic or anything beyond what would be considered natural, Kaiba took immediate distrust to the blimp's resident psychopaths: Marik and Bakura. There was no way he was going to allow Mokuba anywhere near the dangerous creeps, or give them any opportunity to exploit or harm him.

The child turned his head slightly to glance at his brother, making sure that he was asleep, or at least trying. It had taken Mokuba forever to convince Kaiba that the elder brother needed sleep just as much as anybody else; in the process, he'd fallen asleep himself in the computer chair as his brother coldly brushed off the concern and continued to plow through his research on the Winged Dragon of Ra. Finally, Kaiba had powered off his computer and agreed that it was time for bed. At that point he would only get a few hours, but Mokuba figured a little was better than none; if that had been the case, it would have been day three of no sleep for his big brother.

But at that moment, Kaiba did indeed appear to be deeply asleep, as he hadn't reacted to Mokuba's restless tossing and turning even once. For Mokuba, this was a saddening realization. Sure, he was happy his brother had finally agreed to get some rest, but the last time Mokuba had spent the night in his big brother's bed was at the orphanage. At the time, they weren't Kaibas. Seto had slept until Mokuba had crawled in beside him, crying. Mokuba was very careful not to wake his brother as he snuggled up to cast away his tears, and Seto had cuddled back in response without regaining consciousness.

Mokuba wasn't entirely sure why he was so sad now, just thinking about that. Maybe it was because Kaiba wasn't the same person anymore. Cold and aloof, he tore people down, and said some very mean things that his younger soft-spoken and caring self would never have dreamed of saying. Still, Mokuba believed that his brother never loved him any less. Not until now.

He turned over again and moved closer to Kaiba, who didn't even stir. Mokuba continued to inch closer until his head made contact with his brother's shoulder. Kaiba grunted in his sleep and twitched at the touch, then rolled onto his side, facing away from the little Kaiba. Tears stung Mokuba's eyes as he got out of the bed and walked over to the window. The tears began to flow silently as he gazed at the stars shining above and the dim lights below. He just needed a hug, to know that even after all they'd been through, his brother still loved him.

Clearly, that was too much to ask for.

Mokuba sank back into a chair, sobbing softly. He heard a groan and some rustling from the other side of the room, followed by his brother's sleepy voice calling out to him.

"Mokuba?" There was some more rustling, presumably his brother searching the bed for the kid. An angry growl followed as Kaiba got up and flipped on the light, and Mokuba froze as Kaiba's eyes landed on his wet face and fixated on his bright, tear-filled eyes. The elder brother's hard, determined expression immediately softened. He walked over and knelt down beside Mokuba. "What's wrong?"

Mokuba shook his head and kept staring at the floor. "I'm fine. You should go back to bed." He knew it was a pointless suggestion, but talking about his overwhelming thoughts would be too difficult. But nothing ever came easily when it involved Seto Kaiba.

"You're not 'fine,' Mokuba, and I'm not going back to sleep until you tell me what's on your mind," Kaiba said, a little more forcefully than he meant to. With a clear effort to keep his voice a little more soothing, he continued. "Please talk to me, I can help you."

Mokuba's stormy blue-gray eyes overflowed once again. "Seto, do you really even need me?" His voice was quiet, but full of sorrow.

"You're all that I have," Kaiba responded, shocked. "You've stood by me your entire life."

"That doesn't answer my question." Mokuba curled up tightly on the chair, blinking even more tears down his cheeks. Kaiba hesitantly reached a hand out to dry the child's face, but it didn't work.

"Mokuba, of course I need you. If I lost you, I wouldn't know what to do next. Now tell me, what happened? What upset you tonight?"

Mokuba reluctantly uncurled himself and sighed, but continued to avoid eye contact. "I miss the old you...and being loved...just life before _him_."

Kaiba leaned forward, gently lifting his little brother into his arms, and began to head back to the bed. He placed Mokuba on the side nearest to the wall this time, slid in beside him, the drew the child to his chest protectively.

"I want you to listen to me real close, Mokuba," Kaiba said firmly. "I understand why you miss the way things were, and who I was...sometimes, I do too. But let's face it: we wouldn't have ever gotten out of that orphanage if I didn't at least try." He paused, shifted, and sighed before continuing, although his voice was quieter and less certain when he did so. "I also understand if you blame me for the unhappiness we endured after that, and I accept that. But there is one thing I will never accept."

"What's that?" Mokuba asked as he attempted once again to snuggle, and this time Kaiba reciprocated. The little brother yawned and glanced up once more at Kaiba at he quickly leaned over to shut the light off.

"I will not accept that you think I don't love you. Because I do, more than you will ever realize, Mokuba." Kaiba turned over, hugging his little brother tightly. "You are all that I have, the only one I can truly talk to about everything and anything. Affection is no longer easy for me to show, but I promise that I love you just as much as I did the day you were born, and that was the happiest day of my life."

"You were happy..." Mokuba stated in awe. Kaiba only responded by squeezing him for a few moments.

"Now, will you try to get back to sleep? We only have a couple hours left, and I'm tired," Kaiba admitted. Mokuba buried his face into Kaiba's shoulder and nodded. After a few moments the elder brother's breathing was deep and even, but Mokuba was still wide awake. He felt more assured of his brother's love, but he couldn't help but to wonder if it would be for the best to draw away a bit and stop relying on Kaiba to be there for him all the time. The young Seto had promised to do so, but as he himself had admitted, he wasn't that person anymore. Mokuba gently pulled away from his sleeping brother and moved closer to the wall.

It was time to start becoming more independent, and if anything would reinforce this decision more, it was what would happen just a couple short hours later, when they would meet Noah.

* * *

_As it much as it hurts, ain't it wonderful to feel?_

_So go on and break your wings_

_Follow your heart 'til it bleeds_

_As we run towards the end of the dream..._

-End of the Dream, Evanescence


End file.
